Page 20 of Master of Paradise
Chapter Five
When Brandon Jackson came home for the summerand discovered that their neighbor was only a couple of years olderthan himself, he lost no time making his acquaintance. He hoped fora boon companion with whom he could raise a little hell. He shookhands with Nicholas, who towered over him, but the advantage wasmore than physical. One was man, the other merely a youth.
Brandon Jackson was a handsome young man witha lazy charm that was infectious. He had a stocky build with wideshoulders, and like his sister Jennifer Joy had blonde hair thecolor of sunshine. He wore it long and wavy to his collar andsported a romantic mustache much in fashion at the moment among thegentlemen of the South.
"Lord God Almighty, I don't believe thechanges you've made in the short time I've been gone. Last time Iwas here, all this was water oak, seedling pine, tangled brush andvine."
Nicholas grinned, warming to the admirationhe saw in Brandon's eyes.
"Jennifer Joy complains you don't party orsocialize. What the hell do you do for entertainment?"
"Most days I work 'til I drop," Nick saidwith a shrug.
"It's true then, that you work rightalongside your slaves?"
Nicholas nodded, watching Brandon's faceclosely for his true reaction.
"You're ambitious! Lord God Almighty, you'rewilling to sacrifice, even if it takes years."
"You've got it," nodded Nicholas.
"We'll be great friends. I'm totallyindolent. All I posses is a talent to amuse. You'll play cards withmy friends and I, won't you?"
"If you don't mind parting with your money."Nick laughed.
"Don't mind a bit," assured Brandon amicably."Be a right pleasure to lose to you."
"There's something else I'd like from you,"Nick said. "I believe it was you I saw when I was huntingyesterday. Never saw a man ride through woods better. You wereshooting from the hip at full gallop. You didn't seem to take aim,but I saw you always hit your target."
"Well hell, I was born with a gun in my hand.Only four things in life worth botherin' with-- ridin', shootin',drinkin', an' fuckin', and I bet you don't need any lessons in thelast two!"
Nicholas soon met all his contemporaries inthe county through Brandon and his all-male gambling sessions. Thefirst was held at Beau Hampden's, whose father, Wade, was justabout the wealthiest man in the county. Beau was extremely handsomewith dashing blonde mustaches and the slowest coastline drawl Nickhad ever heard. He was tall and slim with a pantherlike grace thatattracted females from miles around.
Kingsley Vickers, nicknamed 'King', and TylerCaldwell, known at 'Ty' started the evening with a drinking contestthat soon had them liquored up and spoiling for a fight with theother card players, Wesley Davis and Stuart Beverly.
Nicholas was amused to discover that whenthere were no ladies present, the flower of Southern manhood, whohad been brought up to be gentlemen with the most chivalrousmanners in the world, were without exception the cursingest,drunkenest, coarsest men he had ever mixed with. Their mostunappealing quality, however, was their immaturity.
At university, Brandon was a member of theOrder of Turtles, and insisted on initiating all of them. "It's thegreatest fun," he laughed. "When you're a member of the club youcan ask friends you meet, 'Are you a Turtle?' The correct answer is'You bet your sweet arse I am!' If you don't receive this exactanswer, he has to stand you a drink." Brandon continued, "Now youhave to answer four qualifying questions. One-- What is it a mancan do standing up, a woman sitting down, and a dog on threelegs?"
There was general snickering as the obviousanswer came to mind, then one of them shouted, "Shake hands!"
"Right! See how easy it is?" Brandon saidwith a laugh. "Two-- What is it a cow has four of and a woman hasonly two?"
The laughter grew louder as they realizedthey were all thinking along the same line. When no one could givea straight answer, Brandon told them it was 'legs'.
"Come on boys. The next one's easy! What's afour-letter word ending in K that means the same asintercourse?"
One or two shouted out the word thatobviously fit so well. Ty Caldwell, whose brain should have beenparalyzed from all the liquor he'd imbibed, stared owlishly at theother. "The word is talk, what else could it be?"
When the convulsive laughter died down,Brandon asked the last question. "What is it on a man that isround, hard, and sticks so far out of his nightshirt that you canhang a hat on it?" Ribald answers were drowned out by uproariouslaughter. "The answer is 'head' of course."
Nicholas knew a good thing when he was on toit. He began to win so many Thoroughbreds from the good ol' boys,that he was soon busy building stables for his newly acquiredhorses. The two evenings per week, dining at the Jacksons and pokerwith the boys, were the only social indulgences he allowedhimself.
His neighbors never failed to be amazed atthis, for Southern life was a continual round of leisure andpleasure. There were horse races, fish fries, barbeques and balls.You could not pass a riverbank without seeing a young manpicnicking in the lush green grass with a lovely belle, while theincongruousMammysat a short distance apart aschaperone.
All the young ladies of the county out tocatch husbands encouraged gentlemen callers to the point where itbecame a contest to see who could get the most in one day. FromNick's association with the other men, he realized the lines weredrawn between females much more so than they were in England. Youngladies must be treated with exaggerated gallantry to protect theirinnocence. Men did not take married women as their mistresses. Goodwomen were protected forever from men's base appetites, but when itcame to poor white trash or black wenches, you could screw the arseoff them.
Just before the cotton crops was about to bepicked, Nicholas arrived at the Jacksons early for dinner, since heknew his next visit would be a long way off. Laughter floated tohim on the warm autumn air and following the voices, he discoveredJennifer Joy entertaining two of her beaus on the side verandah.The vine-hung porch was a cool, inviting bower covered withclimbing roses and grapevine. Jennifer sat amidst twelve yards ofpale blue muslin over hoops, holding a delicately painted fan thatshe wielded as an aid to flirtation.
